Automatic generation of user path information may benefit users and providers of location-based services. But current approaches to generating path information may not be able to provide real-time tracking of individual users. Instead, an environment may be provisioned with a static number of service locations and consistent staffing levels, regardless of user numbers or demands. In some situations, the number of service locations and the staffing level may be modified manually. For example, a teller may observe that checkout queues are long and customers are becoming dissatisfied, and broadcast a request for assistance. But such manual modification is imperfect, reactive, and based on limited knowledge about how users typically move, and are currently moving, through the environment. Automatic approaches may require expensive equipment, or lengthy installation and monitoring. These automatic approaches may be limited to simulations or trials, and may not be configured to provide information or services to users.
Currently, users may not be aware of underutilized queue or service locations, and may consequently select the slowest queue, or select a service location having long queues. This may delay the time to service and negatively affect the user's experience. Users traversing an environment may not be aware of the fastest path within the environment. For example, users may not be aware of the nearest exit in a facility, such as a movie theater or museum. Generally inconvenient, this lack of information may be dangerous in an emergency.
Consequently, there exists a need for systems and methods for automatic generation of user path information. These systems and methods may enable the provision of location-based services to users and to services providers.